Time to Pull the Plug?

According to the report quoted above, today’s youth are increasing the amount of time they spend with newer media (computers, internet, video games) without reducing the time they spend with traditional media, such as television. Like with many things in today’s society, more is more. But is it anything else?

It’s a truly remarkable statistic, if you think about it. And that’s exactly what I would like you to do. There is much more to say on this subject, but for now, I leave you to mull it over and to enjoy the whimsical, winding words of Shel Silverstein, and his commentary on TV.

Jimmy Jet And His TV Setby Shel Siverstein

I’ll tell you the story of Jimmy Jet–
And you know what I tell you is true.
He loved to watch his TV set
Almost as much as you.

He watched all day, he watched all night
Till he grew pale and lean,
From “The Early Show” to “The Late Show”
And all the shows in between.

He watched till his eyes were frozen wide,
And his bottom grew into his chair.
And his chin turned into a tuning dial,
And antennae grew out of his hair.

And his brains turned into TV tubes,
And his face to a TV screen.
And two knobs saying “vert.” and “horiz.”
Grew where his ears had been.

And he grew a plug that looked like a tail
So we plugged in little Jim.
And now instead of him watching TV
We all sit around and watch him.

When I was about 7 we used to sing a song in school – I can only remember the first verse but the tale of Jimmy Jet reminded me of it.

You’re television mad, Dad
Watch it all the time
You sit there in your armchair
Isn’t it a crime

Yes it is! In the 70′s and 80′s there was a show on UK tv called Why Don’t You. The last line of the themetune was:
Why don’t you just switch off your TV set and go out and do something less boring instead!

Will never forget that – I took it literally, and still do. Turn off the TV, the whole world is outside, waiting.

Last month I was mortified when my five year old son asked the ranger at the evening ranger program at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon why there weren’t TVs in his cabin. I promote no child left inside, and my own kid aspires to be Jimmy Jet!

He thought he had just gotten the one cabin without TV, and that maybe he could negotiate with the ranger to get one. The ranger said there was plenty to look at outside his cabin. So true. The kids had a great trip, and we have developed a set of incentives to get all of hiking more.